How I Got a 20k Raise

How I Got a 20k Raise

By: Tori Glaude

In light of this month being Adapting the Hustle Mentality month, let’s talk about some ways to get the raise you desire! Let’s be real –we didn’t go to high school/college to struggle to make ends meet, yet so often it can be tough to move up from an entry-level position. The main reasons people want to move up in their career is to achieve more goals and make a higher income.

Here are the three steps I took to get me the raise I desired:

Don’t be afraid to venture out to a new job

I know the feeling all too well of getting comfortable in a job, with hopes of moving up into a new position. Although moving up in a job is very possible, you should always be considering your options. Staying complacent will only prevent you from discovering other opportunities.

I had debated leaving my job for a while. In a lot of ways, work was still aligned with some of the qualities I wanted –an easy commute, parking, great benefits, and interesting people to keep me going. Nevertheless, it was hard to move up and I started to feel overqualified. Financially, I was stressed, with bills and student loans. Looking for a new job did not become an option anymore, it was the only solution.

Once I started looking for a new job, I didn’t feel locked into my situation anymore. My job search lasted longer than expected (almost a year). For thirty days straight, I applied for every job I took interest in.

Write down ALL of your skillsets

If you happen to feel that you did not gain as much experience or skills as you expected, try comparing your skills. Actually write them down and you’ll find that you’ve picked up more skills than you thought. Taking some time to jot them down could help you in your job search, improve your resume, next job interview, asking for a raise, or it could lead to your next promotion. Start by writing out your daily tasks. Do you organize an event? Do you help prepare for meetings and train others? Do you perform clerical duties or extensive computer work? It can be minimal, write it out so that you can see the skills that you were taught versus the skills that you learned on your own.

In addition to this, keep examples of all independent and collaborate projects you work on so that you have something that visually proves your work. To get the raise that you want, your completed work has to go hand-in-hand with your interview, for example your extracurricular activities. My blogging experience has improved my writing skills, which was a huge factor in me getting the job I currently have. Take out some time to write about what you like to do for fun and what skills do you need to do that.

Another way to look at your skills is to research the job descriptions for the job you currently have and the job you want to get. In the job descriptions, read the “qualifications” section of the position and compare your skillset notes.

Let go of your expectations

I honestly wasn’t planning to make as much higher salary than I did at my previous job. To put into perspective, I was making in the high $30,000s; my expectation was to make over 40k. I was having a conversation with my boyfriend when he said, “Why are you setting your sights low? How about you apply for jobs that are 50k and above. “You have the skillset and qualifications.” That one conversation changed how I thought about my current situation. It doesn’t matter what you make now in terms of getting a raise or a promotion. Lastly, I encourage you to find job sites that have the salary range listed with the job description. My top three salary review places to check out are Idealist, Glassdoor, and FairyGodBoss.

Let go of what salary you think you should make and apply for the jobs you feel the most qualified for!